8/15/07

I haven't really gotten the chance to evaluate how my life has come to be the way it is today. I've written about how grateful I am and what actually is going on, but I haven't had the opportunity to really contemplate how I've reached this point. It's been a bumpy ride thus far; I've had many ups and downs, but I wouldn't change a thing.

I guess a lot of the abundance that is present in my life can be attributed to an appreciation for the power of positive thinking. Whenever I hear testimonials about this "power," I become a little skeptical because I like to believe that people earn what they get; thought alone cannot guarantee success. You have to be able to visualize what you want before you can actualize it, of course, but it is your action, your decision to move purposefully in the direction of your dreams, that increases your chances of attaining what my originally be unattainable. Everytime I see a gimmicky presentation of this concept, I cringe a little (I'm still not sure how I feel about "The Secret"). They seem to guarantee results without emphasizing the importance of action.

Let's do a little case study, shall we? Since I often refer to my first meeting with Angela as a life-changing moment, I'll take my relationship with her as the subject of my little "study". I honestly didn't attract her into my life. I didn't want to date anyone; I didn't want to run the risk of having my heart broken again; I just wanted to be successful in everything else in my life and focus on myself individually. Yet somehow, by God's grace, she has come into my life and has become one of the best friends I have ever had. An incomparable love has been revealed to me although I didn't actively search for it. I have found someone who has exceeded my expectations for a girlfriend, best friend, and potential wife. To this day, I thank God for her because I know I don't deserve a love like hers. Despite my thoughts and my skepticism, she is still here in my life. Where's "The Secret" in that? I don't mean to demean a philosophy that has changed the lives of so many people, but personally, I feel that it is more through the loving grace of God that people experience prosperity rather than the alignment of thoughts, desires, and actions. Aligning the three certainly will help you reach your aspirations, but I believe that, ultimately, it is God who decides your final destination. His benevolence implies that He will often allow you to reach the destination you wish to reach, but I feel that it might not be that case all the time.

I'm still exploring my feelings on all of this. The only thing I know for sure is that spiritual power of the will of God in conjunction with the earthly power of the human will is incredible. All change, big or small, is possible when these two factors align.